THreadworks

Student Accommodation Leeds

The Project

Threadworks is a 24 storey, 548 bed purpose built student accommodation tower located on a constrained narrow footprint site in Leeds City Centre. The structure was designed using reinforced concrete frame principles, incorporating flat slabs, blade columns and CFA piles founded into sandstone bedrock. From a design perspective, the scheme was relatively straightforward, with the primary technical consideration being the efficient design of the stability cores to suit the slender footprint. In contrast, the construction phase proved to be far more complex.

The Challenge

During construction, and with only eight floors completed, the main contractor ceased trading. This situation was challenging in itself but was significantly exacerbated by the fact that the contractor was self-delivering the concrete frame. As a result, there was no specialist subcontractor available for the client to re-engage to warrant the partially constructed structure. The client was therefore faced with the very real prospect of demolition and a potential write off of approximately £15M of investment, due to the absence of any party willing to assume liability for the part constructed asset.

Our Solutions

To avoid the doomsday scenario of demolition and total loss of investment, Etive proposed a comprehensive multi layered solution. This began with the collection and review of all available construction records, ranging from our own site inspection reports through to concrete cube test results. A detailed programme of investigations then followed, including concrete sampling and testing, building verticality surveys, slab flatness assessments, slab deflection monitoring, cover meter surveys and targeted opening up works to verify construction quality.

Based on this extensive evidence base, we demonstrated that, with a defined package of remedial works, the as constructed frame could be made fully compliant with the original design intent and performance requirements. The depth and robustness of our assessment enabled an affordable latent defects insurance policy to be secured for the part completed structure. This, in turn, allowed a new contractor to be appointed to complete and warrant the remaining works.

The building was completed to the satisfaction of all parties in the Autumn of 2025 and welcomed a new intake of students from September that year.